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Hostages

Hamas Returns Body of Israeli Hostage, Continues Search for Remaining Hostages

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Hamas, the militant group in control of Gaza, has returned the body of 75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit, an Israeli hostage who was kidnapped and killed on October 7, 2023. This is the 10th body of a hostage to be returned from captivity, and it comes as part of a peace deal between Hamas and Israel. Under the deal, Hamas has released all 20 surviving Israeli hostages kidnapped during the terror attacks, but 18 bodies of deceased hostages remain in Gaza, with Hamas struggling to locate them. The Israeli military has halted its campaign in Gaza, and a team of disaster response specialists from Turkey is poised to enter Gaza to recover the bodies of Palestinians and Israelis.

Key Takeaways:

  • The body of 75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit, a hostage kidnapped and killed on October 7, 2023, was returned to Israel by Hamas on Friday evening.
  • This is the 10th body of a hostage to be returned from captivity.
  • Under a peace deal between Hamas and Israel, Hamas has released all 20 surviving Israeli hostages kidnapped during the terror attacks.
  • However, 18 bodies of deceased hostages remain in Gaza, with Hamas struggling to locate them.
  • The Israeli military has halted its campaign in Gaza as part of the peace deal.
  • A team of disaster response specialists from Turkey is poised to enter Gaza to recover the bodies of Palestinians and Israelis, including those of hostages, buried under destroyed buildings.
  • Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his determination to "secure the return of all hostages."
  • Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz has warned that the military will restart the war if Hamas fails to do so.

Statistics:

  • 20: The number of surviving Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, terror attacks who have been released by Hamas under the peace deal.
  • 28: The number of deceased hostages still in Gaza, with 18 bodies yet to be repatriated.
  • 10: The number of bodies of hostages returned from captivity.
  • 2,000: The number of Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails as part of the peace deal.
  • 742: The number of days since Eliyahu Margalit was murdered and kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
  • 18: The number of bodies of deceased hostages still missing and unlocated in Gaza.

Sources:

  • The Israel Defence Forces (IDF)
  • The Hostages and Missing Families Forum
  • The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

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